James McPake has more reason to celebrate after being named Championship Manager of the Season.
The Dundee boss led his side back to the Premiership after two years in the second tier thanks to their play-off victory over Kilmarnock.
A late season surge from the Dark Blues saw them romp through the play-offs to take their place in the top flight once more.
Now that achievement has been capped with recognition for manager McPake and his work across the season.
McPake and his men timed their run of form to perfection with an unbeaten streak in the final eight matches of the regular campaign pipping Raith Rovers to second place.
After lifting the Glen’s Championship Manager of the Season award, McPake said: “It’s a collective award for the coaching staff in particular and all the players who have been fantastic in getting us back to the Premiership.”
Reimagining of Jordan McGhee
Highlights earlier included four wins and two draws from their six matches heading into the new year.
That culminated in a storming 3-1 Dens Park victory over eventual-champions Hearts.
Jordan McGhee, Danny Mullen and Jonathan Afolabi netted that night as the Dark Blues looked set to reignite their title challenge.
The reimagining of McGhee as an energetic box-to-box midfielder proved a masterstroke from McPake.
A defender all his senior career, the 24-year-old’s season suddenly came to life and with it, so did Dundee’s.
Five of those six unbeaten games came with McGhee in the middle.
However, a bad shoulder injury for him combined with poor form and poor luck thanks to bad weather saw any title hopes fall away by the end of February.
The additions of Paul McMullan and Jason Cummings in January, though, did prove crucial as Dundee picked themselves up and aimed for second.
Victory over Inverness at the start of March thanks to Max Anderson’s first-ever senior goal and a Cummings winner set them on their way.
Though they would lose at Hearts and in a disappointing home clash with Ayr, McPake’s men would pick up 24 points from the last 36 available in the season.
Runners-up spot
That led them to the runners-up spot before momentum took them up through the play-offs.
The Dark Blues brushed past Raith in the semi-final thanks to some midfield wizardry from skipper Charlie Adam.
He laid two goals on a plate for the onrushing McGhee at Stark’s Park.
Now teaming up with Adam and Shaun Byrne in the middle of the park, McGhee’s return to the line-up after his injury was just as well-timed as his team’s form.
He would go on to score again in the final against Kilmarnock.
Adam, too, would get one against Killie as they dominated their Premiership opponent over two legs.
A promotion party followed and now there is even more reason to celebrate at Dens Park.
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